Officially Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya, this ancient capital is located 80 kilometers (50 miles) north of Bangkok. It is home to impressive ruins and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Ayutthaya is close enough to Bangkok for a day trip, but is also a popular destination for tourists visiting Thailand. In many cases, after visiting the city of Ayutthaya, Chiang Mai becomes the next stop on the journey. The landscapes that stretch between these two cities are fantastic and worth a trip just to enjoy the views. To find out how to travel from Ayutthaya to Chiang Mai, keep reading this guide for different transportation options.
Travel options from Ayutthaya to Chiang Mai
As with other destinations in Thailand, there are plenty of options for this trip. It is approximately 600 kilometers (375 miles) from Ayutthaya to Chiang Mai and can be traveled by car, train or plane. Each form of transport has its advantages and disadvantages. The faster the means of transport, the more expensive the ticket will be; and the cheaper it is, the longer it will take to get there. If you are going to visit Thailand and want to travel peacefully, trains are the most recommended way to get from Ayutthaya to Chiang Mai. On the other hand, if you have the time and want to visit as many places as possible in a short time, flights are the best option as long as your budget is not too tight.
Flights from Ayutthaya to Chiang Mai
Don Mueang Airport in the north of Bangkok © Camera_Bravo / Shutterstock.com
To be strict, we should not include flights in this guide as there is no airport in Ayutthaya, but Bangkok’s Don Mueang Airport is only 60 kilometers (37 miles) south of Ayutthaya, making this mode of transportation a viable option. If you’ve already spent some time in Bangkok, you may not feel like returning to the capital, but if you make it in time, traveling to Bangkok and flying will be faster than traveling to Chiang Mai by train or car.
There are several airlines to choose from, so you have several options if you’re looking for the best deal and want to fit a flight into a busy schedule. Nok Air, Thai AirAsia and Thai Lion Air fly from Don Mueang to Chiang Mai in just one hour. The downside is that it is the most expensive way to travel from Ayutthaya to Chiang Mai.
From Ayutthaya to Chiang Mai by bus
Chiang Mai Bus Station © nitinut380 / Shutterstock.com
Now we will talk about the cheapest way to travel from Ayutthaya to Chiang Mai: by bus. Buses are slightly faster than trains, but the journey still takes 8-9 hours depending on the time of day and traffic. There are several companies operating this route, and the level of comfort of the buses varies depending on the price.
Buses depart from Ayutthaya North Bus Terminal, which is 5 kilometers (3 miles) east of the old city. If you travel by bus during the day, you can enjoy beautiful views, but many tourists will tell you that the train is the best way to do this trip.
From Ayutthaya to Chiang Mai by train
Ayutthaya Railway Station © Chayatorn Laorattanavech / Shutterstock.com
Traveling by train from Ayutthaya to Chiang Mai is undoubtedly the most common way to travel between the two cities. Once you know all the advantages of traveling by train, you’ll understand why. First of all, train travel in Thailand is very affordable. If you take the night train and buy a ticket in a compartment with a bed, you will be able to rest during the journey without having to pay more for a hotel, which makes this option an even more affordable alternative. In addition, the train experience is something that everyone who visits Thailand should experience. The train passes through wonderful natural areas and allows you to enjoy views that cannot be seen from the road, much less from the air. If you’re traveling by night train, most of your journey will be in the dark, but at dawn you’ll see some amazing scenery as you approach Chiang Mai.
There are three overnight trains, and even with that many departures, sleeping compartments fill up very quickly, so be sure to book early. Trains leave at different times during the night and arrive in Chiang Mai approximately 11.5 to 12 hours later. You can choose the compartment that suits your budget, first class, second class, women’s second class, or if you want to save even more and want to make the entire journey in a day, you can also choose the daily train option. This option is the fastest, covering the distance between the two cities in 10 hours, but only second class seats are available and the journey can be tiring if you don’t like sitting for long periods of time. Good to know that on all trains there are often hostesses who sell drinks and snacks, so you don’t need to carry food in your backpack.
Here are the travel options from Ayutthaya to Chiang Mai. We recommend traveling by night train between the two cities, but depending on your budget and time available, you may prefer to travel by bus or plane.